100 Best Hard Rock Bands of the '80s and '90s
Top 100 Hard Rock Bands of the '80s and '90s
Distorted guitars and aggressive vocals give hard rock its signature sound. In the '70s, bands such as Budgie, Led Zeppelin, and Deep Purple developed a darker sound that would soon open the door to the hard rock era. In the '80s, the hard rock movement became all the rage. Many bands started to release albums that blended heavy metal elements with catchy rock hooks.
While heavy metal had an edgy-raw sound, the hard rock sound was slicker and more danceable. The hard rock era was punctuated by singers with exceptional vocal ranges and guitarists with flawless techniques. In fact, a large number of these guitar players later released instrumental rock albums displaying their dexterous fretwork. The shred scene gained new ground in the ‘80s, paving the way for a new breed of technical guitar players.
Many hard rock bands of this era were heavily influenced by the early hard rock that emerged in the '60s and continued through to the '70s. While only a few hard rock bands from the '80s survived the alternative/grunge barrage of the '90s, many hard rock bands reunited to tour and release albums post-2000.
While the hard rock scene has had its ups and downs, the phenomenon is here to stay. The list below showcases a diverse number of hard rock bands. If you are passionate about hard rock, then you will definitely have something to say. Feel free to share your thoughts or recommendations in the comments section.
Top 10 Hard Rock Bands of the ‘80s and ‘90s
- Judas Priest
- AC/DC
- Black Sabbath
- Aerosmith
- Iron Maiden
- Van Halen
- Mr. Big
- Guns N’ Roses
- Kiss
- Motorhead
The Hard Rock Scene in the ‘80s and ‘90s
Many bands in the "lipstick and leather" era were known for showcasing singers with incredible vocal ranges. These singers were often backed by melodic instrumentation. Indeed, high-pitched vocalists ruled in the '80s and '90s. The strong rhythm section added a dynamic crunch, while the piercing guitar solos took songs soaring to new heights. Hard rock became insanely popular with rock music enthusiasts in the '80s and '90s.
Post 2000, a new wave of hard rock bands emerged. These bands are blending other genres with hard rock in order to further diversify the musical landscape. While only a few hard rock bands in the '80s and '90s managed to strike record deals with major recording companies, many indie and small-time hard rock bands found cult followings. While hard rock grew in prominence in the '80s, the grunge revolution of the '90s led to the downfall of the genre.
Best Hard Rock Bands of the ‘80s and ‘90s #11—20
11. Def Leppard
12. Bon Jovi
13. Y&T
14. Scorpions
15. Europe
16. Damn Yankees
Recommended
17. Accept
18. Saxon
19. Bad English
20. Foreigner
Melodic Hard Rock Bands of the ‘80s
High-pitched voices and anthem-like choruses became the signature sound of '80s hard rock. Melodic hard rock bands gained attention worldwide, especially in Japan. The hard rock market in Japan is one of the biggest global markets. Since the '80s, a large number of hard rock bands, melodic rock bands, AOR bands, and glam metal bands have been touring in Japan and Southeast Asia.
Best Hard Rock Bands of the ‘80s and ‘90s #21—40
21. Triumph
22. Boston
23. UFO
24. Nazareth
25. Bad Company
26. Michael Schenker Group
27. Whitesnake
28. Quiet Riot
29. Extreme
30. April Wine
31. Uriah Heep
32. Cinderella
33. Molly Hatchet
34. Nelson
35. Autograph
36. Twisted Sister
37. Rainbow
38. Vandenberg
39. Loverboy
40. Gamma
How Record Companies Cashed In on Hard Rock Phenomenon
Record companies were quick to capitalize on the popularity of hard rock in the '80s and '90s. As the commercial viability of hard rock grew in the mid-'80s, many record labels started releasing "Greatest Hits" and "Best of" compilations of hard rock bands. Compilation CDs became excessively popular in the '80s and early '90s. Compilation discs of hard rock love songs and power ballads became incredibly popular during this era. Bootleg albums thrived and have since become collectibles. Hard rock enthusiasts are willing to pay insane amounts of money to get their hands on bootlegs from this era.
Best ‘80s and ‘90s Hard Rock Bands #41—60
41. Survivor
42. Dokken
43. Hanoi Rocks
44. Slaughter
45. Grim Reaper
46. Loudness
47. Tora Tora
48. Poison
49. Great White
50. White Lion
51. Danger Danger
52. Tesla
53. Baton Rogue
54. Lordi
55. Saigon Kick
56. Firehouse
57. Dangerous Toys
58. Salty Dog
59. Vinnie Vincent Invasion
60. Night Ranger
Best Hard Rock Acts of the ‘80s and ‘90s #61—80
61. Thunder
62. Winger
63. Stryper
64. L.A. Guns
65. Giant
66. Tyketto
67. Kix
68. Steelheart
69. Ennuf Z’ Nuff
70. W.A.S.P.
71. Tora Tora
72. Motley Crue
73. ZZ Top
74. Ratt
75. Helix
76. Golden Earring
77. TNT
78. Skid Row
79. Whitecross
80. Steeler
Hard Rock Best Bands of the ‘80s and ‘90s #81—100
81. BulletBoys
82. Vixen
83. Danzig
84. Faster Pussycat
85. Lynch Mob
86. Shotgun Messiah
87. Blue Murder
88. Trixter
89. King Cobra
90. Wrathchild
91. Hurricane
92. Babylon A.D.
93. Junkyard
94. House of Lords
95. SouthGang
96. Roxy Blue
97. Love/Hate
98. Fastway
99. Bang Tango
100. Rockhead
Other Notable Hard Rock Bands and Artists of the ‘80s and ‘90s
- Gun
- Femme Fatale
- Moxy
- Lee Aaron
- Third Degree
- Krokus
- Shy
- Coney Hatch
- Dio
- Fortune
- Ezo
- The Rods
- Mad Max
- Cold Sweat
- Manilla Road
- Pride
- Leatherwolf
- Rush
- Asiana
- 38 Special
- Thin Lizzy
- Karo
- Badlands
- Stone Fury
- Alice Cooper
- Magnum
- Jagged Edge
- Heart
- Bad Steve
- Kingdom Come
- Ozzy Osbourne
- Journey
- Fighter
- Xenon
- TKO
- Kick Axe
- Fiona
- Sinner
- Blind Date
- Lady Sabre
- Treat
- Fifth Angel
- Bow Wow
- LoudLion
- Ez’ Livin
- Samson
- ASAP
- Madison
- Icon
- Savatage
- Ice Tiger
- Warlock
- Riot
- Bangalore Choir
- Eyes
- Pretty Maids
- Defcon
- Lion
- Rock Goddess
- Blackfoot
- Circus of Power
- Jetboy
- White Widdow
- Britny Fox
- Tygers of Pan Tang
- Madam X
- Fatum
- Killer Dwarfs
- Poison Dollys
- Mama’s Boys
- Girlschool
- Nitro
- Zebra
- Casanova
- Giuffria
- Hericane Alice
- Picture
- Shogun
- Phantom Blue
- Asia
- Lizzy Borden
- Bonfire
- Pretty Boy Floyd
- Novella
- London
- Keel
- Cutty Sark
- The Dogs D’Amour
- Chastain
- Black N’ Blue
- Saga
- Ace Frehley
- Tublatanka
- Rage N’ Rox
- Raging Slab
- Vain
- REO Speedwagon
- O’Dette
- Farcry
- Tokyo Blade
- Alcatrazz
- Lillian Axe
- Bittersweet
- Agent Steel
- Rose Tattoo
- Jaded Heart
- Rough Cutt
- After Hours
- Syren
- Oney
- Pariah
Comments
kin on May 17, 2020:
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